Charles girard



UNTTETT STnTEs PATENT @EETQE.

CHARLES GIRARD, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

PROCESS OF UNGUMMING AND DECORTICATING TEXTILE MATERIAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Eaten't No. 475,551, dated May 24, 1892.

Application filed August 4, 1891. Serial No. 401.634. (N0 specimens.) Patented in France May 20, 1890, No. 205,775.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES GIRARD, of the city of Paris, France, have. invented an Improved Process of Ungumming and Decorticating Textile Materials, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in France for fifteen years, dated May 20, 1890,No. 205,775,) of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a chemical process for decorticating and ungumming textile fibers, and more especially ramie or chinagrass; and it consists,broadly, in the employment for these purposes of basic salts of polyatomic acids, such as basic borates, phosphates, arseniates, tungst-ates, molybdates, and more particularly basic manganates, stannates, or alkaline silicates, either in the cold or by boiling or under pressure, the result of the reaction, whether decorticating or ungumming, depending on the quantity of the product employed. The action is much more rapid and effective than when caustic alkalies or alkali carbonates are employed, as the salts above referred to quickly disintegrate the pectates of the earths and alkaline earths by dissolving, especially when the operation is performed hot, a considerable quantity of entose and pectose. The vasculose remains in the form of a thin non-adherent pellicle, which is readily removed by washing or slightly heat ing the fibers after drying. The salts above mentioned do not injure the fibers, which retain their fineness, suppleness, and luster.

I will describe the use of manganates (with which good results have been obtained) as an example of the process of this invention, the operation being performed in the following manner: Into a boilerof a capacity of eight hundred liters are placed one hundred kilograms of ramie or chinarlgrass, to which is then added asolution of manganate of otash or soda, in the proportion of sevendfilograms of manganate to five hundred kilograms of water. The proportion of manganic acid to the alkali should be about one to four, as a larger proportion of manganic acid would burn the fiber and entirely deprive it of its tenacity. The whole is then boiled for from two to five hours, according to the kind of ramie to be ungummed. At the end of this time the gums are completely acted on and the color of the fiber varies from brown to black, due to the deposit of manganese oxides. On leaving the bath the fibers are washed 1n Water and then passed through abath of sulphurous acid to dissolve the manganese oxides deposited, after which they are thoroughly washed to entirely eliminate the manganese salt formed.

The fiber thus treated is now ready for use and may be bleached by means of hypochlorite of lime or soda. The fiber, which has been ungummed by this process, is very silky and retains its suppleness and tenacity.

The proportion of alkaline manganate employed may be increased or reduced according to the quality of the ramie to be ungumined.

It is to be observed that basic salts of polyatomic acids may give the same results. In this case it is preferable to increase the quantity of the salt, which'should be in the proportion of about ten per cent, and hydrochloric or sulphuric acid should be substituted for sulphurous acid. The heating may also be performed under pressure. By heating the ramie stalks in the cold or urging when the hot process is employed and employing a much smaller proportion of the basic salt of a polyatomic acid the fibers may be decorticated or detached with the greatest facility from the woody portion.

I claim- 1. The process of decorticating and ungumming textile plants, which consists in, first, treating plants with a basic salt of a polyatomic acid to dissolve the gnmming substances in said plants; second, washing the fibers thus treated in water to remove a portion of the gumming substances and oxides; third, passing said fibers through a bath of sulphurous acid,and fin allycleansingthe fiber with water, substantially in the manner herein described.

, 2. The process of decorticating and ungumming textile plants, which consists in treating said plants with manganate of potash to dissolve the gumming substance of said plant, then Washing the fiber so treated with water, i

process of n ngum'ming and decorticating textile materials signed by me this 17th day of and then passing said fiber intoa bath of su1- July, 1891.

phnrous acid to remove the gum and oxides, CHARLES GIRARD. 5 and finally in washing and bleaching said \Vitnesses:

fibers, substantially as described. R. M. HOOPER,

ALBERT MOREAU.

The foregoing specification of my improved 

